


Spirits of Winter Solstice

by LaufeyOfThay



Series: Thayvian Tales [7]
Category: Baldur's Gate
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-01
Updated: 2020-05-01
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:00:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23946577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaufeyOfThay/pseuds/LaufeyOfThay
Summary: The mid of winter, and in Thay it is the season to be jolly. Or perhaps, depending on who you ask, the season of great folly.
Series: Thayvian Tales [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1717807
Kudos: 2





	1. Chapter 1

_Five nights before Winter Solstice…_

His toes were cold. Young Edwin Odesseiron sighed sleepily and tried to burrow deeper under the covers. Snuggling up closer to his stuffed bear, a huge black animal with glowing red garnets for eyes, pearly white fangs and the somewhat incongruous name 'Mr Bobo', he attempted to recapture the nice dream he had been having. There had been flying horses and bushes growing candy-canes, he could remember that much. Alas, the dream eluded him as the sound coming from outside the window penetrated his sleepy thoughts. Actually it wasn't so much a sound as an absence of sound. The world seemed strangely silent, muffled and muted.

Edwin yawned and got out of bed, shivering a little in his thin nightshirt as he did so. His room was strangely cold and the floor was freezing. Rubbing his eyes he padded over to the window and looked outside. The sight that met his surprised eyes was enough to instantly shock him wide awake.

The world was white. There was no other word for it. The gardens outside that had been the customary muted brown of winter only last night were now covered in soft, white - stuff. Great heaps of it covered everything, making bushes and hedges look like looming clouds. The sky was a steely gray color, and more of the white stuff was falling from above, making Edwin almost dizzy as he looked up to see thousands of whirling, star-like little bits of it come spinning down. Edwin's mouth gaped open with horror and incomprehension. Then he screamed like a banshee and ran out the door to get some help.

As Edwin burst into the Great Parlor, red-cheeked and panting, he was relieved to see that he need look no further for protection. His mother was sitting on one of the great couches, examining some spell scrolls, now and then marking something down on a sheet of parchment. Elvira Odesseiron was an attractive, if slightly intimidating woman, with a striking face and a voluptuous figure, and the fact that she was frowning irritably at her notes did nothing to lessen the effect. Her red robes looked a bit thicker than usual though, and the neckline was higher than was her custom. 

"I can't believe this", she muttered to herself. "As if I weren't busy enough already…" Then she looked up to see her terrified son. "Edwin?", she asked. "What on earth is the matter, dear?"

"Out-outside!", Edwin stammered. "Something…something really weird is happening! White heaps of…of white gooey, yucky stuff!"

"Or, as less imaginative minds tend to call it, snow." This second voice smoothly floated out of the shadows on the other side of the room, causing Edwin's head to instantly whip around. As usual he hadn't spotted his teacher until it was already too late to make a favorable impression. Vadrak Dekaras, the Odesseiron House assassin and tutor gave his student a cursory glance before stalking over to the window. Black eyes glared balefully at the whirling snowflakes.

"Snow", the assassin said in a voice of utter loathing. "I hate snow. And while I certainly didn't relocate to Thay because of the clement weather, I always thought of it as a fringe benefit."

"Well, at least you're used to it", Elvira said without looking up, twirling the end of her black braid between her fingers. 

"Yes, Mistress", Dekaras said. "It is also possible to get used to a tapeworm. That doesn't mean you need grow especially fond of it."

"But what is it?", Edwin complained. 

"Frozen water", Dekaras explained, pacing back and forth and still glaring out the window. "When the air grows cold enough the rain turns into snow before reaching the ground. Now, Thay is usually too warm for that sort of thing, and the Red Wizards have webs of spells in place to further control the weather. That is why the crops are so good."

"Uh-huh", Edwin said, his mind starting to drift. 

"However", Dekaras went on, giving him a sharp look, "the spells need to be continuously maintained. Right now the new Tharchion decided that the power used for that could be better utilized to enhance his upcoming Winter Solstice ball. Add the cold winds coming out of Rasheman at this time of year and this is the sad result."

"It's not dangerous", Elvira told her son. "You may even come to like it. In fact, I think your teacher should take you for a walk. Until you get a chance to investigate the snow a little I think you won't be able to get any serious work done."

"True enough", Dekaras said. "I suppose there is nothing like a practical demonstration to drive home the destruction inherent in cold magic. And I have a couple of things to attend to anyway. Since the snow is showing no sign of stopping any time soon we might as well get going now rather than later." He turned to his student again, raising an eyebrow. "It might be a good idea to put on some more appropriate clothes first, boy", he said. "Getting saddled with frostbite is not the best way to begin the holiday season." 

An hour later Edwin had gotten over his initial apprehension at the strange and unusual weather. He was trudging through the snow quite happily, now and then stopping to examine it more closely. The only downside was the clothes his mother had forced him to wear. The warm robe was all right, as were the fur-lined boots and the mittens, but he thought the huge red woolen cap with his name embroidered on it in yellow letters was a bit too much. It kept slipping down over his eyes so that he constantly had to adjust it. 

"This is really fun!", he said brightly. "I wish it would snow more often!"

"We'll see how you feel about that when it reaches your armpits", Dekaras said dryly. The assassin stalked through the snow like a hunting wolf, glaring at the drifts as if they had committed some horrible personal affront. He had abandoned his customary black cloak for a thicker winter variant, lined with fur and with a really deep cowl that he had pulled up against the biting wind. Only the tip of his long nose was visible, and maybe that was just as well. Judging by the tone of his voice he wasn't exactly pleased. "Or when it turns to slush, for that matter. Or when the slush freezes over night and makes walking down the street a death-defying feat of bravery. Oh, the joys of the season are many, I quite agree."

Edwin didn't answer immediately as he was busy trying to catch snowflakes on his tongue. "Where are we going, anyway?" he asked. He could feel rather than see his tutor's feigned look of surprise under the cowl.

"You surprise me, boy", was the answer. "I seem to recall that one of the more contrived customs of Winter Solstice is the exchanging of hideously expensive and mostly unnecessary gifts. All to the greedy delight of the merchants, I might add. In fact, your Mother handed me a certain list along with what seemed to be the greater part of the family fortune. And since I will be unable to get any proper work done in this weather I thought we might as well get it out of the way."

"My Solstice List!" Edwin squealed delightedly. "Did you read it? Did you? Did you?"

"I checked it, yes", Dekaras said. "Twice in fact. I needed to make certain I wasn't imagining things. Now let me see if I remember it correctly… Ah, yes. Item One: A Baby Dragon. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't we already go through all this pet business with that monkey?"

"But dragons are neat!" Edwin explained. "And I would keep it in my room, honestly."

"Assuming the dragon left you one. Item Two: The entire collection of Famous Curses cards. Care to enlighten me on the subject?"

"Oh, those are great!", Edwin said, almost bouncing along. "You buy these cards, see, and each one has a Famous Curse on it. Only you don't know which cards are in the package you buy, so you need to buy plenty to get them all. And then you play this game where you use the curses against each other, and you can trade them with your friends and…"

"And there are how many exactly?"

Edwin thought about this for a moment. "I think it's up to seven-hundred now", he hesitated. "But they make new ones all the time so it's a bit hard to say for sure."

"I see", the assassin said. "And imagine that those manufacturers would probably consider my chosen profession an evil one. The world never ceases to amaze me. Item Three: A Baby Brother or Sister." Dekaras lowered his voice to a soft hiss, threatening enough to strike fear into the hearts of grown men. "And how exactly did you expect me to procure that particular item?" he asked.

"Um, I'm not sure", Edwin apologized. "Mother wouldn't tell me where babies do come from, she said you would explain it some other time, but she said I might as well put it down anyway. In case you had a bright idea, she said."

"Oh, I'm having several, but none of them suitable for children. Let's move on to Item Four, shall we? A wand of Monster Summoning. Something tells me your Mother did not read that part of the list. The answer is no. Emphatically so."

"Awwww…."

"And you had better not pout or cry about it or we're going straight home. You're not getting anything that's likely to get you maimed or killed. Now, then. Item Five: A Pointy Hat." Dekaras gave Edwin a suspicious look. "That's it?" he asked. "A pointy hat?"

"Yes."

"You don't intend me to fetch it from the head of some murderous undead wizard on the other side of the world?"

"No. Just a pointy hat. The red kind with glittery stars on, like Magical Mr Mongoose wears."

"Magical who?"

Edwin looked a little embarrassed at this. "He's on the Crystal Ball Transmissions every week", he explained. "It's a show for children. He's really cool, he sings and dances and there's storytelling. He has a sidekick called Hammy the Hamster who's rather fat and stupid, and…"

"And he's a mongoose", Dekaras said, his voice curiously hollow. "Truly, there's no business like show business. Are these hats available in toy stores everywhere at a price affordable to anyone willing to part with their house and most of their belongings?"

"Well, yes. How did you know?"

The assassin chuckled morosely at this. "Just a hunch, boy", he said. "Just a hunch." He walked on, muttering something to himself that sounded suspiciously like 'Spirit of Winter Solstice! Humbug!' "Oh, by the way", Dekaras remarked a couple of minutes later. "Your Mother wanted you to have this." He handed Edwin a small purse that jingled merrily like a multitude of small bells. "It's an advance on your pocket-money", he said. "In case you want to get any Solstice gifts of your own. Or you could just spend it on candy, I suppose."

Edwin thought this over for a moment. Then he sighed. His Mother's hints were usually best obeyed. "What do you think she'd like?" he asked.

"Oh, anything. She won't be expecting you to get her anything really expensive. I would advice against buying her Famous Curses cards in the hopes of expanding your own collection though."

"I guess so", Edwin admitted with some reluctance. "And Father?"

There was the faintest hint of a smile from the depths of the black cowl. "It is difficult to say for certain as his interests are so…flexible. My suggestion is to keep it nice and safe. No mention of lethal weapons, dangerous pastimes or noisy musical instruments, and we should all be able to survive the holiday. Still, you never know. Last year your Mother gave him that book on last century Rashemani knitwear, remember?"

Edwin did, and shuddered at the thought. Galen Odesseiron's approach to hobbies was to dive into them head first, without first checking the bottom of the figurative lake for rocks, sharks or giant man-eating leeches. The harmless knitwear book had inspired him into knitting a full-scale replica of a Cornugon, which he had subsequently accidentally animated. It had been a full week before Edwin could go to sleep without a nightlight. "I'll get him something really, really dull", he promised.

"Good boy."

"Teacher Dekaras?" Edwin asked, pushing his woolen cap out of his eyes once again. "What do you wish for Winter Solstice?"

"Me?" The assassin slowed his steps and turned to regard the boy with what seemed like genuine surprise. "You certainly oughtn't to spend your funds on me. Why ever do you ask?"

"Well…" Edwin hesitated. "I just thought there had to be something. Everybody wants something don't they?"

"Maybe. But what we want isn't necessarily something that can be bought. Important things tend to be like that." Dekaras shrugged. "Never mind", he said. "I appreciate the thought, but I suggest you spend the money elsewhere. I will be absent anyway, as per usual."

"But you're never around on Winter Solstice!" Edwin pouted. "Don't you want to celebrate Solstice Day at home for once?"

Dekaras stopped suddenly enough that Edwin almost ran into him. Then he turned around and bent down to look the boy straight in the eyes. "I see I need to clarify a minor point or two", he said. "I will only do so once, so listen carefully. Winter Solstice has its fair share of grand parties, but traditionally it is a family holiday. A celebration of the small family unit so to speak."

"But…"

"And need I remind you that I happen to be employed by your parents for certain business purposes, and thus am not part of said family unit? There are certain proprieties that need to be observed. We wouldn't want people to talk." The last was said with a faint introspective sneer. Edwin didn't give up that easily however.

"But", he said, "I'm sure that if I asked Mother…"

"Enough!" The word was uttered calmly enough, and without outward emotion. But as Edwin stared into his tutor's black eyes he got the impression of a cold iron door slamming shut behind them, and he instinctively obeyed.

"You will not bring this subject up again", Dekaras said after a few seconds, "to her or to anyone else, unless you fancy starting the next year with a full week of detention for willful disobedience." He straightened and turned around. "I do appreciate your intentions", he said. "But this is the way things have to be. And it isn't as if I will be pining away in the streets. I will be spending Solstice at the Guild as always, and they have an excellent cook. In fact, why don't we walk over there right now? I need to drop something off anyway and you can assure yourself that my accommodations will be adequate." The last was said with a certain amount of irony, but the coldness was gone, Edwin was relieved to notice. And he very much wanted to take a closer look inside the Assassins Guild. He nodded.

"Very well", Dekaras said. "To the Ravens Nest then."


	2. Chapter 2

Edwin had visited the hidden Assassins Guild once before, but the circumstances had been rather more dramatic, and he hadn't got more than a brief glimpse. The term 'Ravens Nest' was a reference to the members habit of making a living off the deaths of others, much like the birds in question. Edwin had a feeling there was probably more than one entrance, but the one his teacher led him to was the one he had seen before. The house was a highly anonymous one, situated in the bleak and dangerous Outer City. Nothing separated it from the ones on either side of it, nothing apart from the fact that people went in and out more frequently. But once past the door and the guard inside, hidden passages led inside the true Nest, a complicated web of rooms and corridors situated around a large natural cavern. This time it looked a little different than on Edwin's previous visit.

Several large tables were being set out in the middle of the room, surrounded by long benches. A few of the younger assassins were decorating the walls and furniture with leaves of holly and laying out large red tablecloths. 

"It is in preparation for the Solstice dinner", Dekaras explained as they walked past. "It is usually a very good one, and the games of skill that precede it tend to be both entertaining and educational. Last year there was an obstacle course, for example. Half of us set it up, using only items readily available in the kitchens, the other team had to try to navigate it." He smirked. "You wouldn't believe how nasty a trap can be set using only soap, string, a few dozen forks and some live mice", he said. "A memory to treasure. Anyway, the winners receive prizes, as well as the honor of cutting the meat. Trust me, you don't want to see a group of assassins arguing about that particular assignment."

"What's the holly for?" Edwin asked.

"Holly is an old symbol of truce", Dekaras said, his voice taking on a lecturing note. "It serves to remind our more hotheaded members to keep the bloodletting similarly symbolical. We don't want to lose out on membership fees, after all."

"And the tablecloths?"

"Help hide the stains in case anybody forgets himself. A contingency plan is always useful."

As they passed through the halls Edwin was acutely aware of the curious looks thrown his way, but there were no open questions asked. Dekaras nodded briefly at various passers-by, exchanging a greeting here and there but never stopping until they reached a fairly small round blue door at the end of a narrow passage. He knocked, waited a moment and then went inside, beckoning Edwin to follow. The room inside was warm and cozy and cluttered with cats. None of them were real, live cats, but the general impression was one of felineness. A fire was blazing merrily in the fireplace and the air was saturated with the delicious smells of chocolate and hot fudge. The sticky substances themselves were dotting the floor and furniture everywhere, but especially around the fire. Trays of dripping, runny fudge were all over the place. 

A young halfling woman was standing near the fire, stirring yet another cauldron of brown, messy sweetness. There were clots of fudge on her nose, on her red and round cheeks, on her clothes and in her curly brown hair. Yes, even between the toes of her bare feet. Her eyes lit up as she saw her guests. "Hi Dekkie!", she chirped. "Hi there Eddie-kins! Happy Solstice and the Gods bless us everyone!"

Both the boy and the assassin winced slightly at these diminutives. "Happy Solstice, Poppy", Dekaras said. "And I thought I told you not to call me that. About three-hundred times according to the current score."

"Call you what, Dekkie?" Poppy asked innocently, stirring her fudge. Then she grinned, showing off her dimples. "It's really funny how alike the two of you look when you're annoyed", she said. "Really cute look too." Then she yelped as she was suddenly lifted off the floor to the eye-level of her taller colleague. 

"Poppy", Dekaras said, his voice deceptively mild. "As we are close friends I allow you to take certain liberties that would make anybody else worm-food. But I definitely draw the line at being referred to as 'cute'. Now take it back before I do something horrible enough to turn even the hair on your feet gray."

"Fine, fine", Poppy grinned. "I take it back. Want some fudge? This latest batch shouldn't be nearly as runny as the ones before." As soon as she was put down on the floor the halfling assassin ran over to the table, removed a tray of cooling fudge and handed her guests a piece each. Edwin was just about to put it in his mouth when he noticed his tutor's warning glance. Dekaras raised his hand and dropped the fudge on the floor. There was a rubbery 'Sprrroooing' and then a couple of loud crashes. 

"Oh, darn", Poppy said a moment later. "That was my best vase. And the soup terrene as well."

"While I certainly don't claim to be an expert on the subject of confectionery", Dekaras said, raising an eyebrow, "something tells me that fudge really shouldn't bounce like that."

"Guess not", Poppy admitted, shaking her head to make her curls swing. "Oh, well. Try and try again, I suppose." Then she winked. "Want your Solstice Gift right now?" she asked. "Want to give me mine?" This last was said in a very sweet voice, dripping with faked innocence. 

"As a matter of fact," Dekaras said, "I thought I might as well get it out of the way." He produced a flat package from somewhere inside his black cloak, wrapped up in dark blue paper with silver stars. Poppy cooed delightedly over it and her fingers started twitching towards the ribbon.

"Very good progress, Poppy", Dekaras said with an amused glint to his eyes as the halfling proceeded to rip her present open. "Last year you almost sliced my fingers off to get to it. And you're only four days early too."

"Oh, hush", Poppy muttered as she tore at the paper. "You gave it to me, so it's mine to open whenever I want to." Then she saw her present and fell instantly silent. It was a dress. Or more accurately a Dress. It was a dream in silk and frothy lace, glittering silver like moonbeams. Most importantly it had clearly been made to fit a halfling. Poppy's eyes went very round and suspiciously shiny. "It's…it's….beautiful", she whispered. "But it must have cost a fortune!"

"Well", Dekaras said, shrugging offhandedly, "I have had a beneficial year. And last year you did complain rather loudly about ruining your party dress on the obstacle course."

"And I still haven't forgiven you for those incontinent mice", Poppy said automatically. "But this…this dress isn't for me! It isn't what halflings normally wear! It's made for a beautiful lady!"

"And your objection is?"

It took Poppy a second or two to digest this, and then Edwin was treated to the sight of seeing his teacher look thoroughly embarrassed at the spectacle of a sobbing halfling girl hugging his legs and calling him 'the sweetest guy to ever go into contract killing'. "Here", Poppy sniffled once she had managed to compose herself. "Open yours." She fetched out a huge package from inside her wardrobe. It was easily as big as Edwin and about the same shape. The wrapping-paper was bright yellow with grinning red clown faces on. 

"From Jester's Jolly Jokebox?" Dekaras said with some suspicion as he noticed the paper. "Not another exploding turkey, I trust?" 

"No, no, no. That was last year. This thing is all the rage this Solstice, and I promise it doesn't explode even a little bit. Go on, open it. I want to hear what you think."

Dekaras put the present on the floor and inspected it carefully, gently sliding long fingers along the sides.

"Honestly, Dekkie", Poppy said, "you have to be the most cynical person I know. Do you really think I'd trap a Solstice present?"

"Of course you would", Dekaras responded, giving the ribbons a minute tug. "I know you, remember? So would I, for that matter."

"Well, all right", the halfling admitted. "But I wouldn't trap yours."

"Be that as it may, caution has kept me alive so far and I have no intention of abandoning it. Now let's see…" The tall assassin followed his halfling friend's example and fell instantly silent as he saw his gift. It was a stuffed doll, almost as big as Edwin. It had long, dark woolen hair and button eyes, and it was wearing what could only be described as a purple mage robe. On the back of the robe the word 'WITCH' was embroidered.

"It's for stress relief", Poppy explained, sounding more than a little embarrassed. "I figured it’d be good for you. Here, I'll show you." She proceeded to slap the doll hard across the face and Edwin shied back as a tinny voice emerged from somewhere behind the smiling doll face. 'Ahahahah!", it cackled. "I'm a Witch I am! I'll get you girlie, and your little dog too!' 

"Dog?" Dekaras asked, his voice neutral.

"They have a few standard phrases", Poppy said, slapping the doll again. This time it responded with 'Fly my pretties! Fly, fly!' "It sounded funnier in the shop", Poppy said, looking extremely nervous. "But it's supposed to be a Rashemani Witch. You hit it when you're angry about something and feel better afterward. There was one called 'the Boss' and I thought about getting you that, but then I figured you'd probably not want a thing like that lying around the house, and since I know you hate the Witches and all I just thought…" Here she had to pause to breathe.

"Thank you, Poppy", Dekaras said gravely. "It was a very thoughtful gift. I'm sure I'll be able to put it to use, one way or another. Now, I really need to ask you a favor. Would you be kind enough to look after my student while I enter the cutthroat world of Solstice shopping? He'd probably like to wander into a few shops of his own as well."

Edwin grinned widely at this. He liked Poppy and certainly wouldn't mind going shopping with her. Besides, he had an idea or two of his own.

"Oh, sure!" Poppy said. "It'll be fun!"

"Good. And Poppy?"

"Yes, Dekkie?"

"When I said shopping I meant the paying kind of shopping. Let's reserve the other kind for private occasions, shall we? I don't want the boy arrested for stealing handkerchiefs and money-pouches."

Three hours after he had begun his quest for presents Dekaras had decided that Solstice shopping could be nothing less than an evil conspiracy, created by some malicious god in order to torment mere mortals. The crowds, the bright lights, the incessant singing of Solstice songs, all conspired to create feelings of either abject misery or unbridled aggression. Sometimes both. On the other hand, he actually was very good at it. The milling crowds took one look at the tall, black shape of the assassin stalking through the snowy streets and parted to let him pass with more than one nervous titter and shudder. Inside the packed shops he found that the best tactic was to place himself within eyesight of the clerk and then stare intently, the hint of a sneer on his face. It really was amazing how quickly they would come running to assist him, ignoring all their other customers. Idly he wondered how other people were able to get by without snapping and jumping off a tall building. Probably with some difficulty. 

Yes, everything had gone smoothly thus far. Fortunately, he had an alternative Solstice list at his disposal, courtesy of Elvira, and was not forced to go hunting for baby dragons. Or for any other kind of baby. Dekaras shook his head and wondered just where his student had come up with that particular idea. The boy really had a remarkable mind. But it wouldn't do to dwell on such things. He had managed to procure the entire set of Famous Curses cards already. This had been accomplished by telling the salesman that he wanted one of each card, no doubles, and that if that meant opening every single package in the shop, then so be it. That would be the easy way to do things, and surely the salesman wouldn't want to find out about the hard way. Then Dekaras had smiled. After the salesman regained consciousness, he had been very helpful, if a trifle twitchy. 

There was still one problem, however. The pointy Magical Mr Mongoose hat had so far proved elusive. There was an infinite number of blue hats, as worn by Hammy the Hamster, but the red ones seemed to be sold out everywhere. Dekaras frowned. He really didn't like settling for second best. He never had. Briefly he considered armed robbery but decided against it. It wasn't his style, and besides it would take too long to find a victim carrying the desired toy. No, that wouldn't work. The assassin sighed and headed into the tenth toy shop of the day, entertaining an amusing fantasy of buying a blue hat and then dyeing it red in the blood of whoever thought up a ridiculous character like that stupid Mongoose and hypnotized children all over Thay into worshiping him. 

The tenth toy shop was called 'Ye Olde Toy Shoppe'. Dekaras thought this something of an exaggeration, seeing that this shop had opened only two months ago. But he supposed it helped marketing, and the owners really had created an almost believable impression of good old dependable, benevolent greed. The kind of greed that gives you a cheerful smile and a cookie as it takes all your remaining money, rather than the modern, brightly lit and efficient greed that simply takes your money and considers cookies bad for your teeth. Dekaras slipped through the crowd, heading towards the 'Magical Mr Mongoose' shelf that glimmered in the far distance, and so failed to spot the dwarf until he was almost upon him. The dwarf was standing on top of a small platform, shouting at the top of his voice and waving something at the customers that looked like a dead cat.

"Fake beards!" the dwarf screamed. "Get yer fake beards here! Best in town!" His own beard was anything but a fake, a luxurious reddish brown that reached his knees. He was wearing a beautiful blue hood with a long silver tassel. 

Dekaras stopped, interested almost against his will. "Why", he asked, "would anybody want to buy that?"

"Ach", the dwarf exclaimed. "Why wouldn't they? 'tis mighty cold outside, is it not? All these humans walking about with nary a whisker between them. They could use a good beard to keep their faces from freezing clear off. I’ve got these lovely winter hoods too, best dwarven make." He winked. "Palin, at yer service", he said. "And between the two of us, there are other uses for disguises aren't there? Have one for free and be sure to tell all your friends." He handed Dekaras a particularly repellent brown beard. The assassin nodded and accepted the gift. It wasn't the first time people tried to influence the Ravens Nest by bribing its individual members. Standard Guild policy stated that any gift under a hundred gold coins was acceptable, and this ugly thing didn't look to be worth ten. Then again, maybe he could use it if he ever needed to pretend to be a convict on the run. 

The assassin finally approached the 'Mr Mongoose' toys, and almost hissed with frustration when he saw that once more all the red hats were sold out. Or were they? Behind a counter, wrapped up in paper, he could see a distinctly pointy shape. Standing behind the counter was a skinny and harassed-looking man who shuddered and sweated whenever he saw a customer approaching. Apparently, it had been a long and terrible week. Perfect. His powers of resistance should be at their lowest.

"I want to buy a 'Mr Mongoose' hat", Dekaras said in his most studiously pleasant voice as he leaned across the counter to look the clerk straight in the eyes. "A red one."

"S-s-sorry, s-sir!", the man stuttered. "They're a-all sold out already." Dekaras allowed his smile to widen just enough to bare some teeth. While he didn't of course possess actual fangs, he had trained himself to produce the impression of fangs. It was rare for it not to work. And the clerk's eyes had flickered briefly towards the package.

"I don't think so", Dekaras said and pointed at the package on the shelf. "In fact, I think that if I were to examine the contents of that package I would find that it contained exactly the specified item. Or would you perhaps prefer me to examine the contents of something else?" He looked pointedly at the clerk's belly and drummed his fingers on the hilt of one of his daggers. Subtlety was the key to intimidation. You threatened as little as possible. Much better to let the other person's own mind handle that part.

"Ah, i-in fact sir", the clerk stammered, "the gentleman who ordered that one should have picked it up an hour ago. I-I think I would be perfectly within my rights to let you have it."

"Excellent", Dekaras said. "I'm glad to see the spirit of Winter Solstice isn't entirely dead." He had just finished paying for the hat when he heard an enraged roar behind him and turned around to face a furious Red Wizard.

Rory 'the Roarer' Ravonar had long been an enemy of the Odesseiron family, and it didn't look as if the cheer of the season had penetrated to him. Almost as wide as he was tall, the red robe he was wearing should have made him look amusing. It did, in a way, much in the same way that a raging bear wearing a dress is amusing. That doesn't keep it from being highly dangerous. Ravonar's bald head with its well-known tattoo of a roaring lion was hidden by a cap as red as his robe, with a thick white tassel, no doubt of dwarfish origin. The same could be said for the fake white beard decorating his face. Apparently, he had fallen for Palin's sales pitch.

"You…you…", he sputtered, his face an even purple behind the hideous beard. "That hat is mine! It's a Solstice present for my little Zabina!"

"My deepest apologies, sir", Dekaras said. "All is fair in love, war and Solstice shopping. You didn't fetch the hat within the set time. That makes it fair game." He paused to look around the shop. "If I may be bold enough to make a suggestion", he helpfully added, "there are plenty of blue ones left. And the word on the street is that Hammy the Hamster is bound to gain some more popularity as soon as he does something about his lisp."

Ravonar's fake beard was bristling by now. "I'll get you for this you know", he said in a low and dangerous voice. "Your Mistress has provoked me enough with her incessant challenges, and this is the final straw. You will regret this before Solstice is over." He turned on his heel and walked out of the store, the chuckling 'Ho Ho Ho' sounds coming out of his mouth sounding like an emanation of pure evil.

Meanwhile Edwin had been having an excellent time. Poppy had helped him buy his Mother a tiny bottle of poisonously green perfume named 'Kiss of the Lich'. It smelled heavily of roses and spices and had a really cool picture of a skull on the bottle, which was what had attracted Edwin's attention in the first place. He had bought his Father a pair of fluffy slippers shaped like bunnies. That had to be safe. As he was sitting with Poppy inside a small tavern, sipping hot chocolate with whipped cream, he also brought up the subject of his teacher.

"I'd still like to get him something", he explained, licking at the foamy white cream mustache that had formed on his upper lip. "But he said not to, and I don't want him to get mad."

"Actually", Poppy remarked, "from what you've told me Dekkie just said not to buy him anything. Doesn't mean you can't give him something you **made**."

"Like what?" Edwin asked, confused.

"Dunno. But I'm sure you'll think of something."

"And you don't think he'll get mad at me?"

"Nah", Poppy said with a confident grin. "I know him. He might pretend to, but not really, no. 'sides, you can always blame me if it backfires." She suddenly seemed to realize something. "But he might get quite mad if we don't get going right now", she said. "We were supposed to meet him in Execution Square half an hour ago."

As a matter of fact, Dekaras didn't seem all that upset, more preoccupied with something as Poppy returned Edwin to his side. He didn't say very much on the way home either, except a few pointed comments directed at the still falling snow. As soon as they got home, he immediately brought Edwin with him to Elvira's study, stopping only to hand the great heap of Solstice presents he'd bought to one of the servants.

"Mistress", Dekaras said as soon as he had ushered Edwin into the room and closed the door behind him, "we have a situation."

"You think I don't know that?" the wizardess snapped. "I don't know what the Tharchion is thinking of, really I don't." Then she paused. "Hold on", she said. "I only received the letter just now. How did you know so quickly?"

"I think", the assassin said, "I had better describe the events of the afternoon." He then went on to relate his encounter with Rory Ravonar in the toyshop, excluding only the detail of exactly what item they had been competing over. "While my comments undoubtedly enflamed him there seemed to be more to it than that", Dekaras said. "He referred to you 'challenging' him. Am I correct in assuming that he was referring to the newly available position as Advisor of Necromancy?"

"You are", Elvira said. Dark red fingernails tapped irritably against the smooth mahogany surface of her desk and she bit her full lower lip with obvious annoyance. "The Tharchion wants the very best Necromancer in Pyarados to be his advisor in such matters. Obviously, that's me. Unfortunately, that pig Rory Ravonar has some aspirations of his own. Ridiculous, really. I will admit he is good, but he is far too hot-tempered."

"Yes, Mistress. A dangerous trait in a wizard, I am sure."

"Yes." The wizardess glared at the roaring fireplace and muttered something under her breath. The flames jerked nervously and leapt even higher than before. "The arrogant oaf!" Elvira exclaimed, her dark eyes flashing with anger. Clearly, she was about to explode with rage. "The Tharchion will decide between us immediately after Winter Solstice, and Ravonar is too full of himself to withdraw as he knows he should. He must be blocked! I will not have that troll-faced son of a goat assume a position of authority over me!"

"I see", Dekaras said, his face impassive. "I must admit I fail to see the problem." He gave a small shrug. "You know you need only state a request." There was an almost invisible twitch to the corner of his mouth. "In this, as in other things, I am yours to command, Mistress."

Elvira shook her head. "It's not that simple", she said. "His house is heavily warded against all intruders these days. And even if you were able to get in, terminating him wouldn't help. The Tharchion apparently considers us both assets to his rule. He doesn't want either of us prematurely dead. In fact, he went as far as to state that if any lethal accident were to befall either one of us the other would assuredly not be rewarded. No, assassination is out of the question, I'm sorry to say. And that isn't the worst of it!"

"Indeed?"

"No. Ravonar isn't about to trust his meager skills to win this skirmish. He wrote me a letter, warning me to withdraw from the challenge lest I be forced to. Add what you told me, and I'm beginning to suspect he'll try to strike my unprotected flanks, hoping to distract me. I will not let him hurt my family. He must be stopped, but in the meantime, security must be tightened." She paused. "The Mansion is safe enough", she said. "The wards are easily as good as Ravonar's, probably better. No hostile entity will be able to penetrate them. But that is not enough." She drew a deep breath. "Nobody must leave the house until after Solstice is over", she said. "And I do mean nobody."

For a moment the assassin said nothing. Then he cocked his head to one side, as if incredulous. "I beg your pardon, Mistress", he said, his voice silky. "For a moment I thought I heard you say nobody is allowed to leave the house. Obviously, I must have been mistaken since I know you to be aware of my other engagements. Also, I would have assumed you to be as aware as I, that I am not a family member and therefore singularly misplaced around the house at this time of year. I should think Master Galen would agree with my opinion."

"He will do as I say!" Elvira hissed. "As will you! Personal matters must be put aside. This is a matter of security and it must override everything else. I order you to obey me. You will stay put unless it is a matter of life or death." She drew herself up to her full height and put her hands on her hips.

Edwin was sweating by now. He was uncertain whether it was because of the fire or his Mother's white-hot anger. By contrast Dekaras had assumed his most formal stance, letting his features settle into a frozen mask of politeness.

"As you command, Mistress", he said, his voice frigid. "But as your advisor it is my sad duty to point out that you are making a serious mistake. You are effectively blocking my usefulness, tying my hands as it were. There is only so much I can assist you with cooped up in here, and none of it pertinent to the current situation." He gave a short bow and then walked out.

"Oh, just perfect", Elvira said. "As if things weren't bad enough already." She then turned to her son with a slightly forced smile. "It will be all right, dear", she said. "Now, why don't you tell me all about your day?"


	3. Chapter 3

_Four nights before Winter Solstice…_

Galen Odesseiron was a naturally heavy sleeper. Had the ghost known this it would have come better prepared. As it was, it was at something of a loss as to what to do. The ghost was a short, skinny man who looked every bit like the bookkeeper he had been in life. He stooped. He peered. When alive his nose had had a permanent drip due to him being forced to work in a draughty office, and afterlife sadly hadn't changed this. At least now it was only ectoplasm. The ghost, whose name was Caspar Clem, had always been concerned with doing the Proper Thing, and so he had dressed for the occasion on this his very first haunting. He was rapidly coming to the conclusion that heavy chains might look fine, but were terribly uncomfortable, and that even ghosts could get chafed in awkward places. Caspar nervously cleared his throat and tried to pull the bed-curtains aside. When his hand passed right through them, he sighed and stuck his head through the heavy red curtains instead.

"Er…hello?" Caspar tried. Galen Odesseiron gave a small snore and turned over in bed, clutching his pillow. "I…I say", Caspar said. "This really is rather important, so would you mind…"

"Oh, my dove", the sleeping wizard cooed. "Never knew you had it in you. Come to daddy…"

The ghost made a disgusted face. "Now really!" he said. "Wake up!"

"Best carrier-pigeon in Thay", Galen muttered. "Have some more bread-crumbs, sweetie…" Then he woke up as Caspar deliberately stuck a transparent hand through his chest.

"Woooo!" Caspar moaned, trying to get into character. He was about as successful as a terrifying spirit from the Great Beyond as a Pit Fiend would be as a fluffy bunny. But Caspar had always believed in Doing Ones Duty No Matter What, and wasn't about to be dissuaded. "Galen Odesseiron", he said, "repent! Repent I say! Else this fate may well befall thee!" He pointed at the chains.

"Developing a fancy for heavy jewelry?" the sleepy wizard asked.

"NO! Getting burdened with the full weight of your sins! Now try to be a little more penitent, my old friend."

Galen rubbed at his eyes. "Terribly sorry, old chap", he said, "but I can't seem to recognize your face. Are you sure we've met before?"

"I don't write the lines", Caspar sulked. "I'm just trying to do my job, that's all. It sounds better that way." He sniffed. "Anyway", he said, "I don't care. I'll just give you the boring prose version, then. See if I care. Ahem. You will be haunted by three spirits, the spirits of Solstice Past, Solstice Present and Solstice Future. You want to listen carefully to whatever they tell you. Questions? No?" He faded out like a mist, leaving a very confused wizard behind.

Galen lay very still for a few minutes, trying to go to sleep again. Just as he was about to succeed there was a bright white light coming from outside the bed curtains. Then a small hand jerked them aside, almost tearing them off their rings.

"You! The big jerk!" said a high-pitched feminine voice from the center of the bright light. "Get a move on, I haven't got all century!" The shape was small and vaguely feminine, and dressed in white, but the fact that it was glowing more brilliantly than a 'Bedazzle' spell made individual features difficult to spot. 

"Now, see here!" Galen protested. "I don't recall inviting you in!"

"As if that matters!" the vision sneered. "I'm the Spirit of Solstice Past. I don't exactly need an invitation. Now listen up. I'm supposed to give you a lesson…." As the night turned slowly into gray dawn Galen grew more and more fascinated. Now he knew exactly what he had to do.

On the following morning Edwin was woken up by the sound of singing. At least he assumed it to be singing. There was a melody of a sort, but the words tended towards 'fa-la-la'. Edwin groaned and tried to cover his head with his pillow. It didn't work. 

"Oh, no", Edwin muttered to himself as he staggered out of bed. "Now what?" He left Mr Bobo in bed. The big black animal almost seemed to growl with disgust at the hideous screeching noises coming from downstairs. Edwin hurriedly dressed himself and went downstairs, noticing that it was still snowing. The hedge animals in the garden were formless white lumps, only the hint of a dark maw penetrating here and there. 

When Edwin came downstairs, he froze in surprise, staring wordlessly at the sight before him. There were strange people everywhere, milling about the rooms and hallways of the Mansion. Most seemed to be children, but there were quite a few adults as well. And they were singing, continuously singing in voices that could only be considered disgustingly cheerful at this time of day. Worse, there were at least four or five different songs going on at the same time. Edwin felt a tug at his sleeve and looked down to see a small girl, a year or so younger than himself.

"Hi!" the girl said in a bright voice. "Are you here to sing too?"

"Uh, no?" Edwin said. "I live here. What do you mean, sing?"

"Well, we're Solstice Singers, aren't we? Of course we sing."

"I know what Solstice Singers are", Edwin said. He was getting a little irritated. "But why are you all here?"

"I dunno. You'll have to ask Tiny Timothy. He's the one that brought us here." She turned around and started singing a song about seeing her mother kissing an elf on Solstice Day. The words were very unsuitable for a girl her age.

Edwin slowly made his way through the crowd. There were different kinds of leaves and berries decorating the walls and furniture everywhere. He recognized holly and ivy, but there were several others as well. It was slightly intimidating, like walking through a forest. Eventually he spotted his Father. Galen Odesseiron was standing under the great portal that led into the Ballroom, beaming with pride and joy. "Hello, son!" he said. "Grand sight isn't it?"

"Hello Father", Edwin said cautiously. "What is?"

"Why this, of course! I've had a revelation, my boy! The spirit of Solstice Past came to me last night, reminding me of the dear old days of the past and what Solstice should truly be like. And so I sent for every Solstice Singer in town by carrier pigeon, to have them perform for us daily. Isn't it wonderful? Truly 'tis the season to be jolly!"

"I would rather say it's the season of great folly, Master", Dekaras said from behind the startled wizard's back. "Have you not been notified of the increased security measures?" 

"Good grief!" Galen exclaimed. "I wish you wouldn't do that!"

"Do what, Master?"

"You know…that sneaking up behind people thing."

"It is what I am trained to do, Master." The assassin gave the crowd of singers a disgusted look. "Besides", he said, "it hardly takes any skill to sneak up on a person in all this cacophony. Do you really think it wise to invite all these people when we know that Rory Ravonar is on the warpath? Any one of them could be a spy."

"You know", Galen said, "I didn't really think of that."

"No, Master."

"But I've already paid them. We'll have to work something out. Oh, good! Here comes their leader now."

Edwin almost squeaked in fear at the sight of the man that approached. He was huge, almost twice as tall as a normal man, and heavily muscled. A great black beard covered most of his face and he walked with a limp.

"Ah, Tiny Tim", Dekaras said, craning his neck upwards to look at the giant. "It certainly has been a while."

"That it has been, old friend", the giant boomed. "That it has."

"And what twist of fate has made you turn to Solstice Singing?" the assassin asked, gingerly shaking the hand of the huge man.

"Bad fall off a roof last year", Tiny Tim rumbled and pointed at his left leg. "Strong-arm work doesn't come as easily to me as it used to. Still, there are all sorts of jobs for a man with a little ogre blood in him aren't there? I cornered the Solstice Singing market easily, and now I get a percent off all the other singers' fees." He laughed and tiny motes of plaster drifted down from the roof. Then he seemed to notice Edwin. "And what have we here?" he asked. "What's your name, then?"

"E-Edwin", Edwin just barely managed. "Edwin Odesseiron. P-pleasure to meet you, sir."

"HA!" Tiny Tim guffawed. "Sir! Polite, aren't you?"

"I've attempted to teach him a thing or two", Dekaras said. "Occasionally I've even succeeded." Then he turned to Edwin. "Tiny Tim is an old friend of mine", he explained. "He has a natural talent for certain kinds of work."

"I'm a quarter Ogre", Tiny Tim said good-naturedly. "I'm very good at beating people up."

"I-I believe you", Edwin said. The quarter Ogre laughed again and ruffled his hair.

"Now, Tim", Dekaras said. "We have a small problem." He went on to briefly explain the situation.

"Well, alright", Tiny Tim said. "Do you want me to send them all home?"

"That would be a bit of a shame", Galen said. "I've already paid you, after all. How about if you keep outside in the garden?"

"I can do that", the quarter Ogre said, nodding. He then proceeded to herd all the singers outside humming a song about a starry night as he did so. 

"Well, that worked out just fine", Galen said cheerfully and rubbed his hands.

"For now", Dekaras said. "But please, Master, I urge you to curb your festive spirit a little. There is such a thing as too much. The Mistress asked me to tell you that she almost miscast a very important spell at the first sound of the singing. She is very busy with her Necromancy and we wouldn't want anything to go wrong, would we?"

"No, no, of course not. Still, at least the decorations are nice, aren't they?"

"Yes, Master. Very decorative." The assassin looked around the room. "I see holly, ivy, pine, spruce…" He raised his eyes to the sprig of white berries hanging in the portal above Galen's head. "And mistletoe, as well. You will forgive me if I do not take you up on the opportunity to kiss you, Master. I would not want to get above myself, after all." 

After a long day of lessons centered on the various kinds of magic wands Edwin was eventually released from duty. He wandered around the house aimlessly, thinking. He still had no idea what to give his teacher for a Solstice Present. Something he had made himself. But what? A drawing perhaps? But that was a little boring. What else could he make? He was able to cast a simple spell or two by now, but that wasn't exactly something you could keep. Edwin sighed. There had to be something. And then there was. Edwin grinned happily to himself and wandered off to find the items he needed.

_Three nights before Winter Solstice…_

Galen Odessieron had been half expecting another visit from the small woman in white. So it was with a certain sense of disappointment that he faced the second of his nightly visitors. He had woken up to a flickering red light. When he pulled the bed-curtains aside he saw a large man with a glistening brown beard sitting on the floor. Despite the fact that he was sitting his head almost reached the ceiling. He was dressed in a luxurious green velvet coat with gold trimmings and his cheeks were ruddy with good health and cheer. On the floor around him a great feast was laid out. Roast pig and ox, stuffed birds and dainty potatoes, jelly and sweetmeats, apples and mint chocolate. The intermingled smells were delicious, and Galen heard his stomach rumble loudly. The huge man turned his head.

"Oho!" he said. "Awake at last, I see. 'tis about time."

"And you would be…?" the wizard asked.

"Spirit of Solstice Present. Pleased to meet you. Now listen carefully. You want to celebrate Solstice properly, don't you?"

"Yes, of course."

"Well, then you need to be aware of all the Solstice customs. And I'm just the right person to help you out with that." The spirit handed Galen a small leather-bound book titled 'Solstice Customs from Around the Worlds'. "There you go", it said. "It's all in there. And now I'm supposed to give you a few pointers…"

Early the following morning Elvira Odesseiron was dreaming and wearing a very big smile. It was an extremely interesting and pleasurable dream, and one that made it fortunate that her husband slept in a different room and couldn't hear her talking in her sleep.

"Mmmm…", the wizardess murmured. "Yessss…." She could feel hot breath tickling her neck, soft lips grazing the white skin of her throat. Then things progressed to become even more interesting as there was a small nip at her earlobe, followed by a swift wetness at her cheek. "Oh, my", Elvira purred, slowly drifting awake. "You do have a clever tongue, don't you?" She languidly opened her eyes and stared into a pair of moist brown ones. They were situated in a furry brown face with a snuffling red nose. Elvira's eyes traveled upwards and she took in the horns. Then she screamed. 

Dekaras, meanwhile, had been having an exceedingly bad morning. Not that he thought there was such a thing as a 'good' morning in the first place, seeing that he was very much an evening person. But being confined to the house was making him irritable and insomniac, and so it was that he was up much earlier than normal. It was perhaps not so strange that his reflexes were just a little slower than usual, enough so that he didn't spot the thing until he had actually come downstairs. When he did, he didn't scream. He didn't disbelieve his eyes either. He simply stood very still for a minute or two. Then he uttered a word that sounded like the wet tearing sound you get when you rip somebody's head off using only your hands. Troll is an excellent language for swearing.

Edwin, too, was up and about earlier than was his custom. He was still working on his tutor's Solstice present and was rapidly getting frustrated. It was a good idea, he was sure of it. And initially it had been coming along quite nicely. But now the ears kept falling off and the bottom seemed much too thick… Edwin sighed and decided to go downstairs in search of breakfast. He gave a huge yawn as he went past the portraits of his ancestors, the china cabinet, the large tree, and the Kara-Turan urn… Tree? Edwin froze in his tracks and turned around. It hadn't been a dream. It was still there. A huge evergreen stood in the middle of the Great Hall, reaching almost all the way to the ceiling. A spruce, Edwin thought. Botany had always bored him, but that much he could remember. His eyes as wide and round as tea plates the boy carefully walked around the tree, as if afraid that it would attack him at any moment. On the other side he was much relieved to come upon his teacher who was watching the tree with extreme dislike.

"What…?" Edwin tried. "Why…?"

"As for 'what'", Dekaras said, "it seems to be a tree. I'm sure I've mentioned them to you once or twice. Usually to be found in forests. Not that Thay has very many of those, but I still wouldn't have imagined anybody would miss them enough to try to bring one indoors. As for the 'why' of it, I have a feeling I shall have to pass that question on to Master Odesseiron."

"Good morning all!" Galen Odesseiron burst into the room, bubbling with enthusiasm. "Lovely tree, isn't it?"

"It is no doubt a fine example of a spruce, Master", Dekaras said, his voice very carefully neutral. "I am a little surprised at seeing it indoors, however. That is not the most common place to find a spruce."

"Well, you see…" the wizard began. He then immediately interrupted himself at a clomping sound from the Ballroom, like a herd of horses tromping about. "Oh, good!" he exclaimed, his cheeks red with excitement. "I thought I'd misplaced them." He hurried over to pull the door open and the strange creatures came tromping out. They were four-legged, and looked a little bit like deer, but their coats were shaggier, and they were as large as large horses. The confused animals wandered about the room, chewing at random pieces of furniture, snorting and grunting. One of them lifted its tail to create a steaming pile of manure on the floor. Two others made threatening noises at each other and started butting heads. Edwin promptly hid behind his tutor's back, clutching at the hem of the black cloak for comfort.

"Marvelous beasts, aren't they?" Galen asked, his eyes shining. "Bet you can't ever guess what they are!"

"Yes, Master", Dekaras said, in the carefully measured tones of a man addressing a dangerous lunatic. "They are Rashemani reindeer. The giant kind. May I be so bold as to ask why you have them wandering about the house?"

"They aren't part of Rashemani Solstice customs?"

"Yes, Master. The part usually referred to as 'dinner'. "

"Oh. Then I must have been thinking of some other world entirely." The wizard waved a small leather-bound book around. "It's all in here!" he declared. "Solstice Customs from around not just this world, but plenty of others as well. I'm going to make this the best Solstice ever." He then went on to relate an extremely confused story involving reindeer, elves, presents and a fat man in a white beard and red clothes. Edwin got lost halfway through the rant.

"So, these reindeer fly, then?" he asked, trying to make sense of things.

"No, not yet", his Father admitted. "Still, I'm confident that I can make it happen. And I've got the sleigh already, I summoned it here along with the reindeer and the tree." His eyes gleamed even more fanatically than ever. "There must be flying reindeer on Solstice Eve!" he said.

"Why?" Edwin asked, stepping aside to keep one of the animals from treading on his foot.

"Well…Er…That's just the way it is. Now let's see if they're all here… There's Fatty and Batty and Grouchy and Evil, Callous and Cruel and Slouchy and Weevil. But where's Rudolph, I wonder?" A scream of extreme surprise and rage penetrated the walls at that moment, coming from the general direction of the bedchambers. "Ah", Galen said, his voice suddenly gloomy. "I think Elvira must have found him."

And indeed she had. The wizardess was extremely displeased at finding a reindeer in her bedchamber, and her displeasure caused several minor explosions, not to mention the summoning of a large, tentacled being that trailed slime all over the carpets as it chased the herd of reindeer into the garden. Fortunately, it evaporated before it could turn its attention to the Solstice Singers who were just starting a new song, one about the Joy of Family. Edwin couldn't help but feel that it was a bit misplaced at the moment. He listened to his Father rambling on and on about a fat old toy-maker up North who went about in a sleigh each Solstice Night, delivering gifts to little boys and girls, but he couldn't stir himself enough to care. And he still couldn't figure out what elves had to do with anything. Or how a man supposedly fat could fit into all those chimneys, and never burn himself.

The rest of that day passed in something of a blur. Edwin would have liked to investigate the reindeer a little more closely. The same went for the deep snow and the Solstice Singers. But they were outside, and he was inside, and still not allowed out on pain of rousing his Mother's wrath. Edwin sighed. He was trying to do his homework, a text on the differences between ghosts and spirits, and it was boring him to tears. So far, the only information that had managed to stick inside his head was that ghosts were always insubstantial, but that spirits could take on a physical form, also that spirits, unlike ghosts, had never been human to start with. It all seemed extremely dull to Edwin, but apparently his tutor had decided that if he couldn't amuse himself, then neither could anybody else.

Dekaras was pacing back and forth along the wall of the schoolroom, staring out the window. His tense black form reminded Edwin of something he had seen once at the city zoo, about a year ago. There had been a panther inside a cage, pacing in that exact same manner, carefully measuring the extent of its metal prison. Its coat had been a little dusty, its body a little too thin. The yellow eyes had watched the passers-by with a lofty contempt laced with extreme boredom and just a hint of desperation. Confinement had clearly been getting on its nerves. 

Edwin sighed again. Well, he wasn't all that happy about being forced to stay indoors either. And his Father's games really didn't help. Why couldn't his Father be…different?

"It isn't fair!" the boy exclaimed, thumping a small fist on the book.

"If you are referring to the extent of your homework…", Dekaras said, his voice dangerous.

Edwin shook his head. "It's…it's nothing", he said, ashamed to admit what he was thinking. Children shouldn't think that sort of thing about their parents, he was sure of it. 

The assassin wasn't about to give in that easily however. "Nothing?" he said, pulling out a chair and seating himself on the other side of the table. "Strange. Are you telling me that **nothing** is fair? That seems a very pessimistic worldview for one so young. Or are you saying that you are now in the habit of ranting and hitting harmless books over 'nothing'? I had hoped I had been able to teach you a little more self-control than that." He leaned forward, his sharp face very serious, as he looked Edwin straight in the eyes. "Now tell me what the matter is."

Edwin looked down on his book. "It's…Father", he said. He sniffed a little. "He's just so…so hopeless. He does all these weird things and…and that makes me feel ashamed of him. I hate that! I shouldn't have to be ashamed of my own Father, should I? It's just not fair. And…and sometimes I wish that he wasn't my Father, but then I feel ashamed of that as well, and…" Edwin heard the scraping sound of his tutor's chair. Oh, no, he thought, staring more intently than ever on the scratched surface of the table. He'll think I'm bad now. But then he felt himself turned around, a hand on his shoulder and another on his chin so that he couldn't help but face his teacher once again.

"Now listen to me", Dekaras said, his voice uncharacteristically strained. "And this is one of the more important things I am ever going to tell you, so you had better pay attention. Whatever that man does or does not do it is no fault of yours. You have no reason to be ashamed, do you understand me? And neither should you be ashamed of the way he makes you feel. We cannot control the way we feel about people, inconvenient as that can be at times."

"But", Edwin said, his voice trembling a little, "suppose I wind up like him? When I grow up, I mean? Suppose I go all crazy like he is?"

Dekaras shook his head emphatically. "I promise you", he said, "on my word of honor, that you have inherited no trace of mental instability from your Father." He smiled a faint smile, his eyes far away. "A small tendency towards unnecessary brooding perhaps, as well as a certain urge to excel at what you do no matter what it takes. Nothing worse than that, I think. Do you understand?"

Edwin nodded. 

"Good", the assassin said. "I am glad to hear it. Now let's call it a day. It is getting late, and you should go to bed."

"What are you going to do?"

"I am going to take a closer look at that book we were shown earlier. Solstice Customs from around the Worlds. I have a feeling it is going to make for some interesting reading."

_Two nights before Winter Solstice…_

This time Galen had been able to stay awake, eagerly awaiting his next visitor. He thought himself prepared for anything, be it glowing little woman in white or bearded giant. What he wasn't prepared for was an icy wind pulling the bed curtains aside to reveal a tall, gaunt shape dressed all in black. The creature was covered from head to toes in a midnight black robe, its hood pulled up to completely obscure the face. Assuming it has a face, Galen thought with a shudder and pulled his covers up a little. The apparition said nothing, but he could feel it staring at him, scrutinizing him to the very bottom of his soul. It raised its hand to trace a pattern in the air, and as the frightened wizard tried to scramble backwards the vision caught hold of him.

The next morning Edwin awoke to the sounds of running feet and upset voices. He groaned and clutched his bear tighter. Whatever it was he didn't want to know about it. But it was impossible to go back to sleep. Eventually he decided that he might as well go and see what was going on. At least then he would be able to avoid whatever insane object of avid Solstice worship his Father had conjured up this time. The boy carefully made his way through the mansion, trying to stay as silent and unobtrusive as he could. The noises were coming from the direction of his Father's bedchamber and wanted to stay out of sight until he was certain that it was safe to show himself. He was surprised to see a nervous cluster of whispering servants outside his Father's closed door, as well as his Mother and teacher.

Dekaras was kneeling by the door, so focused on what he was doing that he barely seemed to notice Edwin's presence. The assassin was attempting to pick the lock, inserting several slim metal objects into it, one by one, each one failing to achieve the desired result. Eventually he rose and shook his head. "It is no use", he said. "He has enspelled the door, I think. I have unlocked the lock, but the door remains closed."

"To the Nine Hells with him and his stupid stunts!" Elvira swore, obviously unaware of the fact that her son was standing close behind her. "Let me try." Her hands moved in an intricate dance as she wove her spell, her voice rising and falling in time with them. A huge fist materialized out of nowhere, slammed into the door with a sound like a giant putting his foot down, and then disappeared in a shower of golden sparks. The servants scattered in panic. "Oh, blast it!" the wizardess exclaimed, her dark eyes flashing. Her hair had come undone and her face was white with anger. "I was so sure that would work. Looks like he put up some wards against spells as well." 

"Mother?" Edwin asked. "What's going on?"

"Edwin!" Elvira said, rapidly turning around at the sound of her son's voice. "I didn't see you there, darling. Your Father is being difficult again, I'm afraid."

"How?"

"He has locked himself in his room and refuses to come out, even to eat", Elvira said. "Something has unsettled his nerves badly." 

"From what we have been able to gather", Dekaras said, still thoughtfully watching the door, "he had some sort of dream or vision last night as well as the ones before. He keeps talking about spirits showing him how to truly celebrate Winter Solstice. At first these visitations were seemingly benign, but then last night it turned nasty."

"What happened?" Edwin asked, worriedly. While he might not be as proud of his Father as he would have liked to be, he didn't want anything bad to happen to him.

"We are uncertain", Dekaras said, stroking his chin. "He seems to have had a vision of himself in the near future. He thinks he is about to die, and that nobody will mourn his passing. Then he kept accusing me of trying to steal his bed-curtains to pawn them off and told your Mother that he had seen her dancing at his graveside. Very unpleasant, all of it."

Elvira sighed, her shoulders sagging in defeat. "This really couldn't have happened at a worse time", she said. "How am I ever supposed to achieve the Necromancy position when all these disasters keep distracting me?" 

Dekaras turned around to give her an intent look. "How indeed", he murmured, suddenly sounding immensely pleased with himself. "I can't believe I didn't see it before." He pulled out the small book on Solstice customs from one of the many pockets lining his black cloak. "It was all in here", he said to himself more than to anybody else. "I saw it, but I didn't have all the facts." He held the book up. "The flying reindeer are mentioned in this book", he said. "Mentioned by name. So is the fat toymaker who climbs down chimneys. The same goes for the indoor tree, and there is a long chapter on Solstice singers."

"So, Galen got his inspiration from that book", Elvira said, sounding unimpressed. "Why does it matter?"

"It matters because of where he got that book in the first place. It was given to him by one of those spirits he mentioned, and he has told us of how they have been coaching him. There can be no doubt that Master Galen's actions during the past few days have had a highly disruptive effect on this household. And there is one person that we know of who is eager to cause trouble and pull you away from your preparations for the Necromantic Challenge. One person who is also a Necromancer, more than capable of summoning spirits and ghosts to speak the lines written by him."

"Rory Ravonar", Elvira uttered from between clenched teeth. "He will be a toothless lion by the time I'm done with him."

"A moment, Mistress. Attacking him outright would break the Tharchion's rules. No bloodletting, remember? But there are other ways. I have a plan."

Elvira's face was radiant. "Excellent!" she said. 

"Of course, I cannot act upon it."

"Excuse me?" Elvira said, her voice now even more dangerous than when she had been mentioning Ravonar. The assassin seemed unperturbed by the presence of the smoldering female volcano, however.

"Because, Mistress, you have ordered me confined to the house along with everybody else." Dekaras made a show of carefully studying the angle where the wall met the ceiling. "However," he said, his voice considering, "were that restraint to be lifted I would naturally do everything within my power to assist you as always."

"Yes, yes!" the wizardess agreed. "Have it your own way! Do what you please, as long as you humble the Roarer beyond belief." Her fists kept clenching and unclenching. "I want him humiliated", she said. "You can have whatever you want as long as it is within my power to give it. Just make that fat old villain suffer as much as I have these past few days."

"Whatever I want, Mistress? A grand promise too easily abused. I will settle for my freedom of movement. That at least is a gift easily granted, and I will make no demands for anything else. It is almost Winter Solstice after all." The assassin smiled briefly, like sunlight glinting off the sharpened edge of a blade. "And speaking of which", he said, "tonight I will pay Master Rory Ravonar a visit and discuss with him some of the more exotic ways of celebrating the holiday. Another thing. Do you by any chance have access to a levitation spell of higher magnitude?"

"Yes."

"Excellent. Then I will discuss the details with you later, Mistress. First I believe we need to sort Master Galen out."

Elvira bristled. "And just how do you propose to do that? He won't listen to anybody except those stupid spirits!"

"Then, Mistress, my proposal is that we let the three spirits address him once more. Except this time, they will speak the words we want them to. Allow me a few hours to arrange matters to my satisfaction and all will be well."


	4. Chapter 4

_It was the night before Solstice. All through the house everything was silent, except for the sound of chattering teeth coming from the Master bedroom…_

Galen Odesseiron was being very careful. As long as he kept in bed, his fingers, toes and head tucked beneath the covers he should be perfectly safe. Last night's vision had been enough to drive him into near catatonia. The silent black wraith had shown him his own gravestone, his own cold and rotting body. And everybody had been pleased with his death, happy even. Elvira in particular, who had been making jests about reanimating him being an easy feat due to him being an empty vessel to begin with. It had something to do with Necromancy. The spirit had shown him that much and it had shown him what was wrong even if he hadn't understood it at first. He had to stop his wife from gaining that Necromancy position or they would grow even more estranged than before, he knew that now. He could cast some enchantment spell or something, perhaps… Almost as if in a trance the wizard got out of bed and pulled on his robe. Then he froze, as there was a gentle tapping at his bedchamber door.

"Who…who is it?" Galen asked. The room was pitch black since the fire had burnt out and he hadn't allowed the servants inside to bring him some fresh firewood. But he wasn't shivering from the cold alone.

"Hey dummy!" a high-pitched feminine voice said. "Let us in!"

"Or do you want us to come through the door?" asked a second voice, this one deep and rumbling. "The Spirits of Solstice go where they please."

"Perhaps through the keyhole, to feast on your puny soul", hissed a third voice, soft but penetrating. "Open the door and your life will be spared."

Galen hesitated. If he obeyed, they might kill him. But they might do that if he disobeyed as well. In the end his reflexes took over and he obeyed the voice of authority. As soon as he had undone the warding spells placed on the door three shapes came inside and the wizard pulled back against the wall. Despite the darkness he could recognize them clearly. There was the tiny figure of Solstice Past, her white dress shining like a lonely star, even if her own glow had been muted. Perhaps she was conserving energy. There was Solstice Present, a hulking great figure of a man. White teeth gleamed against the darkness of his beard as he turned his head toward Galen like a giant bear sniffing for prey. He had discarded his fancy clothes for darker garments, including a cloak that covered most of his face. Finally there was Solstice Future, the most terrifying of them all. The tall black figure had its hood pulled up even further than before, but Galen could feel the smirk on its face as it watched him.

"What…what do you want?" he asked. "I've done everything you've told me."

"And you will do so again, like a good boy", said Solstice Past.

"Go to bed", said Solstice Present. "And then stay there until tomorrow. Then celebrate Solstice, as it ought to be done, the Thayvian way. And don't forget to tip the Solstice Singers, or we'll be back."

"But I can't!" Galen wailed. "You don't understand! What about my great vision?" Then he fell silent as the icy fingers of Solstice Future gripped the collar of his robe.

"I will explain this to you", it whispered in an almost inaudible and icy cold voice, "and I will try to use words simple enough to penetrate the disorganized heap of pink wool that you are pleased to call your mind. Your family expects some peace and quiet on Solstice Day, and you will not disappoint them. They deserve better than that. I would say that they deserve better than you, but that would be stating the obvious. Now stop gaping and go to bed." Galen shut his mouth with a snap and climbed back into bed. There hadn't been an 'or else' in the spirit's little speech, but it had been heavily implied. Just before he closed his eyes, he saw the three spirits slip quietly out the door and shut it behind them.

"Well, that seemed to work", Dekaras said a little while later. 

"I should think so", Poppy said. The halfling was just coming out of Elvira's bedroom where she had changed from her pretty white dress into her more normal attire. "You scared him half out of his mind."

"It was for his own good", Dekaras said, shrugging. "Putting forth complex lines of reasoning and persuasion would only have served to confuse him, after all."

"Do you think he'll remember about tipping us?", said Tiny Tim the Solstice Singer and ex-assassin in a rather anxious voice. 

"If he doesn't I certainly will", Dekaras said. "I will see you both at the Guild later, I assume?"

"Right you are!", Poppy exclaimed, brown curls bouncing merrily. "Now come along, Tim! I want you to do some Solstice Songs at the feast tomorrow and…" The halfling assassin and the quarter-ogre waved goodbye and left, intent upon their conversation. 

"That concludes the first part of this night's business", Dekaras said in amused voice as Edwin and his Mother entered the room. "And now for a real challenge. Is everything in order, Mistress?"

"It is", Elvira said, a satisfied smile on her face. She was bundled up in a heavy red cloak, and her eyes were shining with anticipation. "I will be coming along of course. Otherwise the spell won't stay active long enough."

For a moment it looked as if the assassin was about to object, but then he clearly changed his mind. "Very well", he said. "As long as you remain in the sled there should be no danger to speak of."

Edwin seized this moment to open his mouth. "Then I can come too?" he asked.

"Most certainly not!" Dekaras said. "This is not for children."

"But it is, really", Edwin protested. "Solstice is for children, everybody knows that. And this is Solstice celebrating. That book said so."

"No. You are not coming. Go to bed and think of your Solstice presents or something."

"I'd rather think of **yours** ", Edwin said. His heart was pounding wildly as he took out a rather squashed looking present from behind his back and held it out to his tutor with trembling hands. The wrapping paper had come undone here and there and the string had more knots on it than was strictly necessary. Dekaras gave it a long, hard look and then turned his gaze on Edwin. Those black eyes might as well have belonged to a basilisk. Edwin certainly felt as if he was about to turn to stone at any moment.

"And what is this, pray tell?" Dekaras said, weighing the package in his hand. To the boy's ears it sounded more like 'Prey, tell'. 

"It's…er…a Solstice Present", he hesitated. Then he launched into a hurried explanation, speaking so rapidly that the words came tumbling out of his mouth all tangled up. "I know you said not to buy anything, but I didn't, really, honestly. Imadeitmyselfreally."

"Really", the assassin said, raising an eyebrow. "Hm. Well, I suppose I cannot fault your logic there, boy. And I am interested in seeing what you have come up with." He gently unfolded the crumpled wrapping paper and then stared at the contents. It was a mug made from clay. You could tell it was a mug because it had 'Mugg' written on it in large letters. It had two ears, both of which looked as if they were about to fall off if anybody actually dared try to lift the mug by them. The edges were uneven and leaf-thin, the bottom thick. Somebody had obviously spent hours of careful work on it, as shown by the many small fingerprints that covered it. On the front it bore the legend: 'World's Greattest Teascher'.

"Is it alright?" Edwin asked anxiously, jumping back and forth from one foot to the other. "I tried to use a spell to bake it and make it hard, but it didn't take all over so now it's kinda soggy here and there… Do you like it?"

"Like it?" Dekaras said, his voice curiously flat. "Like it?" He raised his eyes from the mug and looked at his student. The basilisk glare had been replaced with something else entirely. "It is beyond a doubt the most perfect and thoughtful Solstice Gift I have ever received. Thank you, young Edwin. I…will just go and put this somewhere safe." He cleared his throat a little and turned to leave. "You may come along on tonight's excursion, I think", he said.

"But that's not why I…"

"Maybe not. But I am impressed with you, nevertheless. It seems that you are mature enough to value certain things correctly. Still, if you wish to stay…"

Edwin rapidly shook his head, his cheeks red with pride and excitement.

"Then go and put some warm clothes on. We are going on a sleigh-ride." 

_The night before Solstice, a little later._

Rory Ravonar yawned and stretched his legs towards the warmth of the huge fireplace in front of him. The fire had burnt itself out, but there was still a comforting aura of heat to be savored. With all this infernal snow a man had to do something if he didn't want to freeze to death. The thick red dressing gown that strained across his ample gut helped a little, as did the equally red dwarven hood with its soft white tassel. But he still felt a little too cold. He'd even tried out that fake beard he'd bought a few days ago from an enterprising dwarf, and it had helped some, but it was not enough. The wizard yawned again and helped himself to some sherry and mince pie standing on a table next to him. He had fallen asleep in his chair, dreaming sweet dreams of his triumphant appointment to the Necromantic Advisor position. Certainly, it was bound to be his by now. With all the havoc caused to the Odesseiron household lately his competitor had to have been distracted. Ravonar smiled an unpleasant smile. Yes, things really had turned out rather well. There would be nobody to challenge him now.

And then the wizard paused in his thoughts. He had thought he had heard something. A very faint sound, coming from…the fireplace? He waited, not moving. Yes, something was coming down the chimney. Closer. Just a little closer…

BANG! The warding spell went off as it should, slamming into the approaching intruder with a small fireball and a splash of acid rain. A dark figure came crashing down the chimney to land in the heap of ashes and embers resting in the fireplace and Rory the Roarer was chanting before it hit the ground, preparing his second attack. Glowing balls of pure energy sought their target and hit it, sizzling horribly. Rory Ravonar got to his feet, a gleam of triumph in his eyes and approached the fireplace. Then he hesitated. There had been no scream, no moan, no sound at all. Surely nobody would be able to cope with that much pain? And then there was a voice, a mechanical metallic voice, and it came from the dark bundle lying in the ashes. 

"AAAAGH!" it screamed. "What have you done to me? I’m melting!” Rory Ravonar bent to retrieve the object pulled it out of the fireplace and turned to place it on the table. A…doll? And then he froze in his tracks as he felt something cold and sharp pressing against his neck and heard a silky voice speak straight into his ear.

"You had better watch out, sir" it said. "Something tells me you have been a very naughty boy this year. I wouldn't count on very many Solstice Presents if I were you."

Rory Ravonar swallowed deeply and felt a sudden wild urge to scratch at his fake beard that was suddenly feeling very hot and itchy. He had heard nothing. No sounds of climbing, not the faint sound of a pair of boots hitting the carpet, nothing whatsoever. The man was good.

"Now, sir", the voice continued, "my sincere apologies for making sooty footprints on your nice carpets. And for this as well." A sharp blow landed on Rory Ravonar's head and the wizard crumpled into a heap on the floor, unconscious. 

"Careful now, sir" Dekaras said, turning the wizard over. "No faking. I will know if you are sleeping or awake." He hurried to tie the other man's hands behind his back and then his legs as well. Finally satisfied he took a closer look at the room. Ignoring the mince pie, he retrieved a fresh glass from a cabinet and poured himself a glass of sherry. Much better, he thought. That’ll help with the cold. Just one more thing to do. He gently picked up the abused and burnt Stress Relief Witch and placed her in the chair where Ravonar had been sitting earlier. I suppose Poppy was right, the assassin thought. I do seem to be in a much better mood, even if it was supposed to be me hitting the Witch. Oh, well. At least I got to hit somebody. He tied another rope securely around Ravonar’s waist and was pleased to see that the spell placed on it seemed to be working just fine. The wizard drifted into the air as light as a dandelion seed and could be easily towed up through the chimney. “I believe”, Dekaras said quietly to himself as he watched Ravonar disappear up the chimney, “that the customary phrase during these circumstances is ‘Ho Ho Ho’.”

Edwin had been having an excellent time with his Mother up on the roof. It had stopped snowing and there was a full moon, so he could see a long way. The sleigh was warm and cozy once you had plenty of furs to bundle up under, and the reindeer were really neat. The spell that had temporarily enabled them to fly didn’t seem to faze them in the least and they didn’t mind being petted or fed bread crusts. His Mother had even allowed him to hold the reins. Then something happened. Edwin curiously watched as a huge red creature popped out of the chimney and drifted over towards the sleigh. The white beard was still in place, and so was the red hood, even if they were both covered in soot.

Elvira sprang from the sleigh to catch the rope trailing after the flying wizard, and then tied it securely to the back of the sleigh. There was a triumphant smile on her face and her cheeks were pink with excitement. “That will teach you, Ravonar”, she said. 

“I should think so”, Dekaras said, climbing out of the chimney. He was almost as sooty as the wizard but didn’t seem to mind very much. There was a definite spring in his step as he jumped into the sleigh and took the reins, waiting only for Elvira to resume her seat. “Up Fatty and Batty and Grouchy and Evil”, the assassin cried out, “Up Callous and Cruel and Slouchy and Weevil! Up Rudolph! Away!” And the reindeer leapt into the air and flew, high over the snowy rooftops of Pyarados, pulling the sleigh and the unconscious Rory Ravonar along with them.

When Rory the Roarer opened his eyes he at first had no idea whatsoever where he was or what was going on. Snorting sounds came from above, like animals running fast. There was cold, rushing air all around him, and he had difficulty telling which part of him was up. Then he glimpsed clouds rushing by beneath, or rather above, his feet and screamed in terror. 

“Happy Solstice, Ravonar!” a mocking female voice drifted down from above. “Since you were so eager to teach my husband all about the Solstice Customs, we thought it fitting to return the favour. “I bet you didn’t know that it actually is possible to get reindeer to fly. All you have to do apart from the regular levitation spell is persuade them that it is in their best interest to cooperate.” She paused. “And now, to conclude our tour, a lovely view of the Tharchion’s gardens”, she went on. “I was so sorry that I was unable to attend the Solstice party due to familial concerns, but it seems that we both will after all.”

And indeed, the Tharchion’s gardens were coming into view below the onrushing sled. Crowds of richly dressed people were walking about, sipping mulled wine and admiring some very elegant ice sculptures portraying exotic animals. Some of them were starting to point and gasp at the strange sight above. Rory Ravonar shuddered with humiliation when he heard a woman in the crowd ask her companion who ‘the flying fat man’ was. The Tharchion himself, a wizened little man in heavy red robes, watched from the porch. The sleigh went into an elegant dive and drove straight past him, and Ravonar could clearly see the amused expression on the man’s face. 

“Sorry Ravonar”, came another voice from above, the voice of that damned assassin. “But it looks like we have become too heavy now that your floating spell is starting to wear off. We must get rid of some excess baggage, and you, dear sir, are it.”

And then there was yet another voice, a piping childish one. “You know, Master Dekaras”, it said. “I’ve seen a house-fly, and I’ve even seen a dragon-fly. But I don’t think I’ve ever seen a wizard fly.”

“Then watch closely, boy. It is a rare sight indeed.”

And Rory Ravonar screamed again as the rope that tied him to the sleigh was unceremoniously cut off and he saw the ground approaching. Since the floating spell was still partly functional, he didn’t so much fall as glide swiftly downward, until he landed with a * thud * headfirst in a heavy snowdrift. When he had gathered himself enough to dig out, he found himself looking into the wrinkled and hard face of the elderly Tharchion of Pyarados. “Rory Ravonar”, the Tharchion said, a small contemptuous sneer on his face. “So nice of you to…drop by.” With a sinking heart Rory the Roarer knew that promotion had never been further away.

Half an hour later all was well within the Odesseiron Mansion as the sun was starting to rise on Solstice Day. The sleigh had been put away; the reindeer had found a temporary home within the stables before they could be returned to Rasheman. As he sleepily sat on a chair in the Great Hall, watching the giant Solstice Tree, Edwin wondered whether he might perhaps be allowed to keep Rudolph. His eyes started to close once more but jerked wide open when he heard the word ‘spirits’ mentioned.

“It was really a rather ingenious idea”, Dekaras said. The assassin was leaning against a doorframe, explaining something. He had thankfully managed to rub off most of the soot, and once again looked more like a human being than like some sort of demon. “Since spirits aren’t hostile creatures as such, Ravonar knew that your wards would not affect them. The same went for that ghost he conjured. The creatures had all been carefully coached in exactly what to say and do in order to affect Master Galen as much as possible, but they themselves had no intention of causing harm. Then there was that book, also carefully calculated to wreak havoc.”

“Well, it’s a good thing it’s all over”, Edwin heard his Mother say. It had started to snow again on the way home and there were snowflakes all over her black hair. Edwin sleepily thought that it made her even prettier than usual. “I am bound to achieve the Necromancy Advisor position now, and I couldn’t have done it without you. How can I ever repay you? You are sure you don’t want to stay for Solstice Dinner?”

“Much as I would like to, Mistress, it is not possible. You know that.”

“Yes, yes I suppose I do. And you refused an extra Solstice bonus as well.”

“Yes, Mistress. It is Solstice Night, after all. Accepting payment for a commission then is considered very unlucky.”

“Hmmm. Then what am I to do with you, I wonder?” Edwin saw his Mother suddenly smile and point at the open doorway where Dekaras was still standing. “There we are!” she exclaimed. “What a splendid idea Galen had for once! Some of these old traditions are certainly worth keeping.” The assassin raised his eyes and had just time enough to spot the green mistletoe twigs and white berries hanging directly above his head before he found himself receiving a very enthusiastic kiss. Edwin was half-asleep by now, but he thought he saw his teacher gasp for air once it was over.

“Happy Solstice!” Elvira purred, still gripping the shoulders of the stunned man.

“Ah, Happy Solstice”, Dekaras said, sounding just a little bit rattled. “Perhaps we had better continue this conversation later, once the boy is in bed? He looks about ready to collapse.”

“ ‘m fine”, Edwin murmured, hardly aware of what was happening around him. He gave a big yawn. “Happy…Solstice. And…and…the Gods bless us. Everyone.” Then he fell fast asleep, dreaming of flying reindeer and sleigh-rides through the sky on a white and happy Solstice Day.


End file.
